


The Waltz

by pinksundays



Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: Dancing, Fluff, Gen, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-25
Updated: 2019-05-25
Packaged: 2020-03-17 08:31:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18961621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinksundays/pseuds/pinksundays
Summary: The one where Bethany is curious and goes to find out if Fenrisreallydoes choreograph dance routines.





	The Waltz

**Author's Note:**

  * For [padawanhilary](https://archiveofourown.org/users/padawanhilary/gifts).



> this was a prompt from our group from awhile back! I finally polished it a little, with beta-help ofc by our lovely friend CuriousThimble <3 This is for H, bc she's also amazeballs as heck.

* * *

 

_I run from room to room, choreographing routines._

 

Curiosity certainly brought the young mage to Fenris’ doorstep one quiet afternoon. Her sister had gone to Lowtown to resupply their potions and tonics, while everyone else was busy attending to their own business. It was one of the rarer days where Kirkwall didn’t actually need their help.

Again, for the third time that week, the mental image of their warrior companion leaping dramatically over the balustrade in sync with a song popped amusingly into her thoughts. _Fenris, dancing?_ A giggle escaped her just as she reached his front door. While he may have said it with the highest form of sarcasm, her gut told her that there was more truth in that than he was leading on.

Using the heavy brass door knocker, she gave it three loud knocks, looking around the area while she waited. There was actually a nice little array of flowers planted around to give the boring Hightown estate a little more life. It was spring, and the flowers were beginning to bloom in the sweetest shades of pink, yellow, and blue. She bent down and took in the scent of one of them and her heart swelled, uttering a prayer of thanks to whoever the gardener was.

It wasn’t long until the door opened slowly, and she was greeted with the head of an ashen-haired elf.

The moment he saw her, his eyes widened slightly. Her visit was definitely unexpected. ‘Bethany? Is something the matter?’ he asked with worry in his voice. It was the same kind of worry that he had for her sister and Bethany was thankful for it.

Plucking the basket she had set on the ground next to her, she held it up towards him, giggling. ‘Nothing’s wrong, but I _am_ here to bribe you.’

The elf raised an eyebrow, taking the bribe she offered to him. The wondrous aroma of a freshly baked Ferelden apple pie filled his nostrils and Fenris was almost certain that the light hint of cinnamon had him salivating instantly.

He narrowed his eyes at her, then promptly accepted the delicious bribe. A grin played on his lips, thankful for both the pie, and the company for the strangely uneventful day Kirkwall was having. ‘I am at your service, _messere_.’

 

💃🏻💃🏻💃🏻

‘You need to be lighter with your footwork, Bethany,’ Fenris reminded her just as she had stepped on his foot. Again. Though, his voice lacked any indication of annoyance.

Immediately, she let go of his hands and stepped away. ‘Oh, I’m so sorry! Maker, it’s so difficult keeping everything in mind!’ she apologised, but couldn’t help herself from laughing. Thankfully, Fenris thought her clumsiness amusing and didn’t mind her stepping on his feet from time to time. She was, after all, still learning how to dance.

‘There is a reason why this is the most difficult dance to master. I certainly didn’t learn it overnight,’ he said, rubbing the injured foot on the back of his calf. ‘Come, let us try again,’ he encouraged with a hand towards her.

Bethany took it readily and they moved into position—Fenris with a straight posture and ready to lead, and Bethany, standing slightly to the left, ready to follow. But before they started moving again, he let go of her and went to retrieve an unlit candle.

‘Care to light it for me?’ he asked and the flame came with just a simple thought. She smirked and honestly, she looked just like Hawke then.

They clasped their hands around the candle and very gently, Fenris titled Bethany’s head ever so slightly so that she looks poised and elegant. She felt his steady palm on the small of her back and she moved closer towards him, almost closing the gap between them. They both knew that this was an intimate dance, and neither were uncomfortable by it. If anything, they were having fun. She hadn’t seen Fenris smile this much since those slavers claiming to be Danarius’ ambushed them the other week.

‘What’s the candle for?’ she finally asked. It surprises her to no end that Fenris was okay with her being a mage. That he felt that she wasn’t a threat to him touched her a little.

He glanced at the lit candle, then back at her. If you looked carefully enough, she did look like Hawke. But only at certain angles, and when the light hit her just right. Bethany’s eyes though, were always the dead giveaway. They were grey, and Hawke’s were as blue as the waters of the Waking Sea.

‘It will help with your movements. We are to dance to the rhythm I taught you without letting the flame go out. When one is swift and graceful, it is not so impossible,’ he explained nonchalantly, adjusting the position of his hand slightly.

‘And why am I tilting my head again? Maker, my shoulders feel _stiff_ _,_ ’ she whined, but Fenris chuckled.

‘I am told that the pose makes one look passionate during the dance. As for your shoulders, the act of dancing itself should be relaxing. If your body is tense, then a dance is simply not a dance,’ he said and immediately, she relaxed.

They tried again and this time, not once did Bethany step on his feet. Not once did she waver. Not once did she allow her pose to drop. She looked confident and the lit candle that they held didn’t seem to make her nervous. They moved around the room—circling with such elegance in repeated practice until Hawke interrupted them.

‘Are you two... _dancing_?’ the woman asked by the door, amused.

Fenris cleared his throat, embarrassed that not only had Hawke caught him dancing, but Varric and Isabela were present too.

‘I—uh, was teaching your sister at her request. She mentioned that your trip to _Chateau Haine_ might require a dance,’ he let go of Bethany and almost flung the lit candle backwards onto his bed. Bethany on the other hand, bit her bottom lip in mischievous guilt.

Hawke blinked, stopping dead in her tracks at the comment. ‘What? But Bethany’s a brilliant dancer! _She_ taught _me_ how to dance,’ Hawke informed him and Isabela broke out in a cackle that would haunt Fenris for _weeks_. Varric was already taking notes.

The younger Hawke took his hand into hers apologetically and Fenris could feel the blush up to his ears. ‘Sorry, Fenris. I just had to know! You’re a good dancer—and teacher—if that helps?’ she confessed in-between a yelp and a giggle now that her curiosity was sated.

Fenris had no words. He face-palmed with his free hand, embarrassed. His only consolation was the delectable apple pie that sat on his—

‘—This pie is _delicious_! Where’d you get it from?’ Isabela chimed, already taking a second helping.

This day could not get any worse.


End file.
